Tom Orsborn: Motion offense is Barry’s strength

Here’s an advance look at some of the notes we’ll be running in Tuesday’s print edition of the San Antonio Express-News:

Backing Barry: Count Tim Duncan among the Spurs who wouldn’t mind seeing Brent Barry get more minutes, especially if coach Gregg Popovich continues to rely on the motion offense.

“He’s always been great in that offense,” Duncan said of Barry. “He’s most comfortable in that. When he’s been able to handle the ball a little bit, he’s able to make great passes and cuts. And obviously nobody wants to leave because he can get a shot off. Just in that, it spreads our offense even more.”

If Barry does get more minutes, it will be Michael Finley’s playing time that will get cut.

The fatigue factor: Lakers coach Phil Jackson suggested during his pre-game media briefing Sunday the strain of trying to defend their title could get to the Spurs as the series goes on.

“Fatigue is a big factor in the playoffs,” Jackson said. “And, you know, as players go through it year after year, it becomes even more of a fatigue factor. I can remember going into Game 6 (of the NBA Finals) in Utah back in the 1990s when (Bulls star Michael) Jordan said he hadn’t slept more than four hours in the last two days, that type of thing.

“The pressure of the games, the fatigue, all those things are factors.”

Ball handling 101: The Lakers’ Lamar Odom committed five turnovers in Game 3, including one with 3:14 left in the first half in which Parker grabbed the ball away while the veteran power forward lackadaisically brought it up court.

“We were fighting for the rebound and I fell behind, so I was just trying to get back on defense, and I saw the he was not really watching,” Parker said.